The People of Chimney Top

James William "English" Penley and Rachel Vaughn Penley are pictured with four of their children: James Willie, Eva, David Martin and John Thomas. James Willie lived with his family on Chimney Top in an old log home that burnt. The chimney is reputedly still standing. Tom and I tried to find it, without success. We got better directions from Bea and Charlie (descendants of James Willie) and will try again! English may have lived on Chimney Top, as well, as the 1910 Census shows him in Greene County with several Dykes and Comptons for neighbors.

The picture at the right is James Willie Penley with his wife, Melvina Morelock Penley. They lived on Chimney Top, but are buried in the cemetery at Pine Grove Church at the foot of the mountain.

The picture at left is John Thomas Penley, the baby on his mother's lap in the photo above. He is my grandfather and this photo shows him with his first car, a Model T. Uncle Fred said the family used to drive this car to Chimney Top from Kingsport to visit John's brother Jim and his family.